Spoon-carrier for fishing-tackle.



No. 7l3,435. Patented Nov. H, I902.

J. J. HILDEBRANDT.

SPOON CARRIER FOB FISHING TACKLE.

(Application filed. May 28, 1902.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN J. HILDEBRANDT, OF LOGANSPORT, INDIANA.

SPOON-CARRIER FOR FISHING-TACKLE.

lPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 713,435, dated November11, 1902.

Application filed May 28. 1902. Serial No= 109,330. (No modelJ T0 aZZwhom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J OHN J HILDEBRANDT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Logansport, in the county of Cass and State of Indiana, haveinvited certain new and useful Improvements in Spoon-Carriers forFishing- Tackle, of which the following is a specification.

This in vention relates to fishing-tackle, and has special reference tothat type of artificial bait involving the employment of a revolvingspoon or spoons ordinarily used in connection with what is commonlytermed the trolling-bait.

To this end the invention has specially in view the provision of asimple and practical form of spoon-carrier, sometimes termed thespoon-carrying lug, and affording a means of connection between thespoon and the bait-stem, while at the same time permitting of theperfectly free back and forth and revolving motion of the spoon as thebait is drawn through the water. In carrying out this object theinvention is intended to provide a novel form of spoon-carrier orspoonholding lug which provides a thoroughly practical detachableconnection between the spoon and bait-stem. In other words, theinvention permits the spoon to be readily attached or taken off and anydesired size of spoon replaced, as the requirements of the fisherman maydemand. Also the detachable mounting provided for by the spoon carrieror lug permits the ready substitution of a new spoon in the event of anold one becoming bent or twisted. Also the invention provides a spooncarrier or lug sliding and turning smoothly on the bait-stem and havingan extended bearing insuring these results.

With these and many other objects in view, which will more readilyappear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the sameconsists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement ofparts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated, andclaimed.

In carrying out the thought of providing for the detachable mounting ofthe spoon for the purposes indicated the invention is necessarilysusceptible to considerable modification; but for illustrative purposesthere is shown in the drawings certain preferred embodiments of theinvention.

In the drawings, Figure is a detail in perspective of a section of abait stem or shaft equipped with a spoon carrier or lug embodying thepresent invention and showing the form of carrier which may bedesignated as of the key-ring type. Fig. 2 is a detail in perspective ofthe same form of the invention, showing more plainly the manner ofengaging and disengaging the spoon. Fig. 3 is a detail plan View of theblank from which the form illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 is constructed.Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are a group of figures similar to Figs. 1, 2, and 3,but illustrating a modified form of spoon carrier or lug.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout theseveral figures of the drawings.

The present invention may be utilized with any form of trolling-baitemploying the usual spoon, and as the invention simply has reference tothe manner of connecting the spoons with the bait-stem there is onlyshown in the drawings for illustrative purposes a bait-stem section 1,to which the line and hook may be connected in any of the Well-knownways.

The present invention contemplates mounting upon the stem or shaft 1aspoon carrier or lug, (designated in its entirety by the numeral 2.) Inall forms of the invention this spoon-carrier is formed from a singlemetal blank cut and bent to provide the necessary elements for effectinga mounting of the carrier upon the stem and for the detachableconnection of the spoon with the carrier,and while different kinds ofmaterial may be obviously employed in constructing the carrier, stillthe most practical construction has been found to be made from asheet-metal blank having sufficient resiliency to admit of a readyengagement and disengagement of the spoon in the act of fitting the sameto the carrier or disconnecting it therefrom.

The spoon-carrier blank or body 2 is formed with a central widenedsleeve portion 3,which is bent or crimped into a cylindrical tubularshape to provide an elongated bearing-sleeve 4, which loosely encirclesthe stem 1 and provides an extended bearing for the carrier thereon. Inconstructing the body of the spoon-carrier from the single blank thesame is formed at opposite sides or edges of the central sleeve portion3 with the oppositelydisposed keeper-loops 5, preferably in the form ofapproximately U-shaped hooks having their entrance-openings 6 disposedin proximity to the edge of the sleeve portion 3, from which the loopsare projected. When the sleeve portion 3 is bent into the cylindricalbearing-sleeve 4, the body of the blank is necessarily folded uponitself, thereby bringing the opposite loops into substantially parallelrelation side by side, and in the preferred form of the invention (shownin Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, of the drawings) the hookshaped loops 5 arereversely relatedth at is, their entrance-openings 6 are disposed,respectively, at opposite ends of the sleeve portion 3-thereby producinga holding-loop for the spoon, which may be properly characterized as ofthe key-ring type. In this construction the eye '7 of the spoon S isfirst engaged in the entrance-opening 6 of one loop, then passed betweenthe loops to the entranceopening 6 of the otherloops and engaged overthe latter before it can be completely mounted upon the carrier. This isreversed in taking the spoon off; but it is to be observed that theaction is exactly the same as in the use of an ordinary key-ring.

In the modification shown in Figs. 4 to 6, inclusive, of the drawingsthe keeper-loops (designated by the reference character 5) have theirentrance-openings 6 disposed at the same end of the sleeve portion 3, sothat when the blank is folded upon itself there is but a singleentrance-opening at one end of the carrier, through which the eye of thespoon is passed in engaging and disengaging the same with the carrier.In this latter construction,

if found desirable, the entrance-opening for the hook-shaped loops maybe temporarily closed by a solder or other equivalent closer.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction and manyadvantages of the herein-described spoon-carrier will be readilyapparent to those skilled in the art without further description, and itwill also be understood that various changes in the form, proportion,and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departingfrom the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantagesthereof.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed, and desired to besecured by Letters Patent, is-

l. A spoon-carrier of the class described consisting of a central sleeveportion bent to provide an elongated cylindrical tubular bearing-sleevefor the stem, and meanscarried thereby for permitting of the detachablemounting of the spoon.

2. A spoon-carrier of the class described consisting of a central sleeveportion bent to provide an elongated cylindrical tubular bearing-sleevefor the stem, and separate hookshaped keeper-loops projected fromopposite edges of the sleeve portion and lying side by side.

3. A spoon-carrier of the class described comprising a central sleeveportion bent to provide a cylindrical tubular bearing-sleeve for thestem, and separate hook shaped keeper-loops projected from oppositeedges of the sleeve portion and reversely related with theirentrance-openings disposed at opposite ends of the sleeve.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN J. HILDEBRANDT.

WVitnesses:

FRANCIS C. SWADENER, GEORGE KRAMER.

